ECM Holds its First Plenary for 2016

By Prince Henderson

The Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) which is comprised of all Catholic Bishops in Malawi met in Lilongwe at Catholic Secretariat for their first plenary in the year 2016 and among others in attendance was the AMECEA chairman, His Eminence Souraphiel Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew, the Apostolic Nuncio to Malawi and Zambia, His Excellence Most Reverend Julio Murat and the Secretary General for AMECEA, Very Reverend Ferdinand Lungozo.

In a statement release by Fr. Henry Saindi, Secretary General for ECM, this first plenary meeting which was held from Monday, January 25 to January, 29 and among other things reflected on financial planning and resource mobilization for the Catholic Church in Malawi and explore new ways of strengthening partnership with donor organizations such as Trocaire, Caritas Norway and Norwegian Church Aid.

“The plenary also received update reports on AMECEA’s Gitanga project, and projects from ECM development Committee, National Movement Formation Manuals and books in Divine Mercy,” reads part of the statement.

Apart from receiving progress reports pertaining to the Catholic Secretariat, the statement further states that the Bishops reflected on activities for the Year of Mercy and discussed matters pertaining to priestly formation in the seminaries and received update reports from the Catholic University of Malawi. They also appraised the present social and political situation and received progress reports from representatives of the Associations of Catholic religious men and women and the Association of Diocesan Clergy.

ECM plenary meetings are held twice every year. In January and June.